


What Lay Ahead of Us

by Tchell1



Category: Captive Prince - C. S. Pacat
Genre: Fluff, M/M, SO MUCH FLUFF, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-03
Updated: 2016-05-03
Packaged: 2018-06-06 05:46:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6740974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tchell1/pseuds/Tchell1
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was six months after Laurent killed Kastor and Damen could not stop smirking. There were bells and there was celebration and Makedon produced ten gallons of Griva from somewhere and of course there were people drunk. Damen felt as if his whole body was partying. </p>
<p>Laurent, beautiful, cunning and amazing Laurent, had been beside him through the entire celebration. He had had a small smile on his face and his eyes had been wide, watching everything as if experiencing happiness for the first time in seven years. Damen could not wait to see how his court would react to Laurent in full calculating mode.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What Lay Ahead of Us

**Author's Note:**

> I read the whole trilogy on the weekend. I I need an epilogue.

It was six months after Laurent killed Kastor and Damen could not stop smirking. There were bells and there was celebration and Makedon produced ten gallons of Griva from somewhere and of course there were people drunk. Damen felt as if his whole body was partying.

 

Laurent, beautiful, cunning and _amazing_ Laurent, had been beside him through the entire celebration. He had had a small smile on his face and his eyes had been wide, watching everything as if experiencing happiness for the first time in seven years. Damen could not wait to see how his court would react to Laurent in full calculating mode.

 

It was exactly as Damen had imagined it would go. On Akielos, Laurent acted as one of the king’s advisors. With his strategic and cunning mind and his over complicated plans, the Akielos’ Council did not know what to make of the King of Vere. Laurent, when he was not giving the advisors his full attention, learning everything he could from Akielos, would give sound strategic advice on different subjects, always with a distance objective in mind. The council was having a hard time keeping up with Laurent’s mind. Laurent, arrogant and brilliant, would retaliate with sarcastic comments and icy glares.

 

The council did know, though, that Laurent’s plans, once Damen went through them and simplified them a bit, tended to work. Damen knew he had to maintain his posture as the king, but inside, he could not help but keep falling in love with the hurricane that had taken over his palace. He did not want to be on any of the Akielian advisor’s shoes.

 

Nikandros, bless his patient soul, would look at the council members with the sympathetic expression of someone who had been through the process of having to accept Laurent forcefully. To Damen’s complete shock, his relationship with the King of Vere had actually improved a lot. These days, they behaved more as a united front against anyone who could present a threat to Damen. There were worse reasons to found a relationship on. Nikandros were very satisfied with their arrangement.

 

The best change by far was Laurent himself. Damen could not be prouder or happier. To Damen’s delight, Laurent did not get any softer, he was still like a miniature sun: unapologetically bright and burning everything on his way. But if once his relaxed posture was a result the severe control he had over his body, now it was a direct reflex of his secure place. His self-satisfied smirk was one of the most beautiful views Damen had even seen.

 

Laurent, being Laurent, took no time in figuring out what his new found happiness did do Damen. He would eviscerate a Akielian advisor that dared make a unfortunate comment about Damen and turn to his husband, smirk very much in place as if saying _Don’t you love me when I am at my worse?_. Damen, helpless in Laurent light, would look back with a besotted smile that said _I’ve seen your worse and this is not it. This is you being you._

It drove Damen completely crazy. Laurent, with his cold eyes and detached attitude would give one arrogant smirk to anyone he had just won a verbal spat with and would immediately search Damen’s eyes to see if his husband had seen, as if he was a child, reaching for attention while  hiding in plain sight. _But_ _I told you_. _It’s the_ _game_ _I like,_ Laurent had said that one time and Damen fell in love. Damen was very thankful that Laurent was as much in awe of him as he was of Laurent.

 

 Jord, though, that was the best change. Still so loyal and so serious, he was beginning to adapt into being part of both kingdoms. Laurent was and would always be his king, but Damen was his colleague and his captain and his friend and was also a traitor and an enemy and Laurent’s savior. Damen had a different relationship with Jord, who was in process of becoming the first Strategic Advisor of The Two Realms. They understood each other on a lower level. Damen would forever be grateful that Jord stayed beside Laurent even when everyone else would have given up.

 

Unexpectedly, Jord found in Nikandros a twin soul. Damen would often find the two drinking wine and sharing experiences about their Kings. Jord, with his guarded eyes and reticent feelings could not help but open to Nikandros’ charismatic personality and pragmatic view. Nikandros, who would often leave the palace keeping himself in check not to scream at Laurence, would seek Jord’s company and easy talk.

 

It was a pleasure to watch Nikandros and Jord falling in love. For months neither of them realized what was happening. They would search each other and talk to each other and frustrated each other but never, not even once, they thought the feelings could be more. Damen could not help laughing while Laurent watched both of them doing their oblivious dance.

 

Laurent, of course, had seen what was going to happen the moment he met Nikandros. His quicksilver mind had already conjured different scenarios and the most likely one was that Jord would become fascinated with Nikandros. For all his missteps with Nikandros, Laurent would always be the first to vouch for Nikandros’ loyalty and strong heart. Once Laurent and Damen had finally married, it was not difficult to foresee the relationship that would emerge. Damen loved that Laurent was always six steps ahead of everyone else. He still could not believe how lucky he was.

 

Laurent also had no patient for unnecessary miscommunication and it was him who, in his very straight forward manner, told Nikandros and Jord that they were blind, again, sending Damen into hysterical laughs when both confused eyes landed on Laurent as if he had started speaking a different language. Damen congratulated himself on his amazing self-control when Laurent redirected his cold stare to him in search of a sympathetic brother. _Save me from the common mind._ His eyes shouted. Damen, very helpfully stayed quiet and lowered his stare.

 

Damen figured the future would present different challenges, but he was confident that with Laurent beside him and the patchwork council still in the making, composed of Veretians and Akielians, they could do it. The kingdom could be reunited and both people could learn together. Damen could not wait for their future to begin.


End file.
